Japan's real wages fall 1.4% in September, down for 9th straight month

Japan's real wages in September fell 1.4 percent from a year earlier, marking the ninth straight month of decline, as pay hikes continued to lag behind persistent inflation, government data showed Thursday.Nominal wages, or the average monthly cash earnings per worker including base and overtime pay, increased 1.9 percent to 297,145 yen ($1,900), rising for the 45th consecutive month, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.While nominal wages rose, consumer prices were up 3.4 percent in September due to higher food and energy costs, keeping real wages -- a key gauge of consumer purc…READ FULL ARTICLE